R.I. House majority leader explains late taxes

Wednesday

May 18, 2016 at 8:39 PMMay 18, 2016 at 8:39 PM

Katherine Gregg Journal Political Writer kathyprojo

PROVIDENCE — An apologetic John DeSimone, the Rhode Island House majority leader, promised Wednesday to pay his City of Providence property taxes when they are due each quarter from now on, instead of waiting until the city advertises his home and law office for potential tax sale.

In an interview in his State House office, DeSimone, D-Providence, said he had no reason for not making the quarterly tax payments, when they were due beyond the demands on his life as a part-time legislator with a full-time law practice.

Asked why he has year after year ended up on the city's potential tax-sale list, DeSimone said: "The real answer to that question is: 'I'm busy. I do my work. I am busy up here ... [And] to me, if you miss the first quarter, the interest builds up, so I always got in the habit of paying it once a year.'

"I know it's probably not a good business answer, but I make one payment at the end of the year and it works. It's always worked for me ... . Other than that, I really don't have a good answer,'' he said. "It's not a financial issue. Obviously I am paying more by doing it that way.''

But DeSimone said he "got hell from my wife'' after The Providence Journal ran a story this week about the latest tax-sale threat, and the story "made me think ... I really shouldn't do it that way especially if you want to be the majority leader.

"So I appreciate you bringing it to my attention,'' he told a reporter, "and I can assure you that going forward I will always pay my taxes on time."

DeSimone headed off a threatened May 12 tax sale by the City of Providence of his 18 Ralston St. home and his 735 Smith St. law office by paying more than $18,700 in overdue taxes, interest and costs. He made the payments after the city posted a legal notice, on April 21, of the “public auction to the highest bidder’’ of the city’s legal rights to his properties, along with dozens of others with unpaid tax bills.

The Smith Street property “was scheduled for tax sale in each year since 2008, and 18 Ralston in 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2015,’’ according to the city tax collector’s office.

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said Wednesday he has had no reason for paying his Providence property taxes once a year, after the city has posted his home and law office for tax sale, beyond the